Plant watering device

ABSTRACT

A plant watering device for potted plants in which the pot is provided with one or more holes in its bottom wall. The device includes a reservoir for containing a supply of water and a phenolic foam pad disposed generally centrally of the reservoir with the upper surface of the pad positioned above the level of water in the reservoir and adapted to support the bottom wall of the pot. The pad may be provided with plant nutrients, preferably in the nature of slow time release pellets. In another embodiment, small phenolic foam plugs are provided to be inserted in a hole or holes in the bottom of the pot to insure water transfer between the pad and the soil or other grown medium in the pot.

[ NOV. 6, 1973 PLANT WATERING DEVICE Filed:

Appl. No.: 238,388

Inventor: John Elmer Goldring, Pebble Beach, Calif.

Assignee: Argo International, Hayward,

Calif-W Mar. 27, I972 [52] US. Cl 47/38.l, 47/48.5, 116/118, 220/26,220/93, 71/64 F [51] Int. Cl AOlg 27/00 [58] Field 01' Search 47/38,38.1, 38.10, 47/48.5; 116/118; 220/26, 93; 71/64 F [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 3,058,263 10/1962 Reynolds 47/38.1 2,135,99811/1938 Beyer 47/38.1 1,879,784 9/1932 Benz 47/38.1 1,342,786 6/1920White 47/38.l 3,060,012 10/1962 Pavek 47/48.5 X 3,409,165 11/1968 Creith220/26 R 3,474,931 10/1969 Daniels et al 220/26 S 2,246,490 6/1941 Flues47/38 2,157,340 5/1939 Jones 47/38.1 2,072,172 3/1937 Lockyer 47/38.l

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,200,457 7/1970 7 Great Britain 47/38.l

Primary ExaminerEdgar S. Burr Assistant ExaminerEugene H. Ei ckholtAttorney-Harris Zimmerman [57] ABSTRACT A plant watering device forpotted plants in which the pot is provided with one or more holes in itsbottom wall. The device includes a reservoir for containing a supply ofwater and a phenolic foam pad disposed generally centrally of thereservoir with the upper surface of the pad positioned above the levelof water in the reservoir and adapted to support the bottom wall of thepot.

The pad may be provided with plant nutrients, preferably in the natureof slow time release pellets. In another embodiment, small phenolic foamplugs are provided to be inserted in a hole or holes in the bottom ofthe pot to insure water transfer between the pad and the soil or othergrown medium in the pot.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 6/1890 Germany 47/38.l0 I

PATENIEDHHV 6 1m 3.769748 m -v "hm IIH.

1 PLANT WATERING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There are numerousadvantages derived from automatically supplying water, as well as plantnutrients, to a growing plant on a demand basis. Most amateurs tend tooverwater plants, which is deleterious to plant health and survival, andit is obvious that underwatering, whether due to absence of the plantowner or by oversight, is similarly injurious to the plant.

It might also be explained that bottom watering of plants also hascertain advantages, but if the plant is merely immersed in a reservoirof water, the roots and soil will become water logged and the chance'ofplant survival is remote.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a devicefor automatically supplying water to a plant growing in a conventionalpot by merely placing the pot on the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed in which nutrients may be supplied to the plant along with thewater, such nutrient being an integral part of the device, therebyeliminating the need for human monitoring or judgement as to when suchnutrient is to be added to the plant.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described in which means are provided to insure adequate andproper water transfer from the device to the plant.

THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the componentparts of the device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the device with a potpositioned thereon;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the foam pad with one arrangementof fertilizer pellets associated therewith; I

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing a modified arrangement ofthe pad and pellets; and

FIG. Sis a portiona'l view similar to FIG. 2, but showing adifferent'form of pot and illustrating foam plugs inthe Pot holes.

DESCRIPTION or THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As above stated, the device ofthe present invention is adapted to automatically supply water andnutrients to a conventional potted plant. For purpose of simplicity, noplant is illustrated in the pot'l2, but as is well known, a conventionalpot, whether formed of terra cotta or plastic, will include side walls14, an open top 16, and a bottom wall 18. Most clay or terra cotta potswill have a single central drain hole in wall 18 (as seen in FIG. 2),while many plastic pots will have a plurality of holes 22 in the bottomwall positioned adjacent the side walls. Soil or other growth materialwill normally be deposited within the pot and extend from'th'e bottomwall 18 to adjacent the top 16.

In broad terms, the device of the present invention includes a waterreservoir 24, a phenolic foam pad 26, a pad supporting ring 28, and acover 30 overlying the otherwise exposed water in the reservoir. 1

Reservoir 24 is here shown as being of shallow bowllike configuration,having a bottom wall 32 and upstanding side wall 34. The walls 32 and 34define an open top chamber for receiving and storing a supply of water.The pad 26 is formed of expanded phenolic foam, or similar materialwhich, after foaming or other production techniques is form retaining,capable of absorbing and holding a quantity of water far in excess ofits own weight, and capable of supporting a potted plant when placed onthe pad and transferring moisture from the pad to the growth material inthe pot through holes 20 or 22. Thus, the pad 26 serves as a wick, sinceeven though the level of water in the reservoir will be lower than theupper surface 36 of the pad, the latter, even if only a lower portionthereof is in engagement with the water, will absorb the water andeffect a substantially uniform wetting thereof, including its upperexposed surface.

Pad 26 is preferably laterally supported by the annular ring 28 with theupper edge of the ring being generally coplanar with the upper surfaceof the pad. The lower portion of the ring may be provided with anapertured bottom wall (not shown) for further pad support, but in anyevent must provide some communication to the lower portion of the padandthe water in the reservo'ir, even when the water is almost depleted. Ashere illustrated, one or more openings 38 are provided on thering'adjacent itsbottom. The foam pad should be fitted snugly within thering.

Preferably, the'ring and pad assembly should be centered in thereservoir, and any suitable centering means can be provided for thispurpose. For example, the ring is here shown as being provided withradial wings 40 which engage the side walls 34 of the reservoir.

With the ring and pad centered in the reservoir and resting on thebottom wall thereof, the water in the reservoir will have an annularexposed surface of substantial extent. If exposed to the air,evaporation would require a more frequent refilling, and therefore, Iprefer to cover the water in some suitable manner, such as cover 30which may consist of a disc-like member having a central opening 42surrounding ring 28 and an outer edge 44 extending to the side wall ofthe reservoir. With the'foregoingconstruction, it may be appreciatedthat with the device assembled, water may be poured into the-reservoir,such as through an opening 46 in cover 30. The foam pad will absorb asignificant quantity of water through bottom opening 38. When the pot 12is placed on the pad, even though there may be a space between the uppersurface 36 of the pad and the lower surface of the soil in the pot (suchspace con-' stituting the thickness of pot wall 18) in most cases boththe soil and the pad will serve as awick, the soil.

drawing water from the pad as it requires the same. The pad, even thoughimmersed in water (except for its upper surface) will never puddle orexpose surface water. 1 t

Where the thickness of wall 18 is too great to permit water transfer, orif for other reasons there is not a proper'water transfer between thesoil and the pad, small plugs 48 of the same phenolic foam may beinserted in one or more holes to insure adequate water transfer.

Nutrient or fertilizer is transferred on a controlled basis with thewater from the pad to the pot. Preferably, the nutrients are in the formof pellets 50 of controlledrelease fertilizer. An example of suchpellets is'OS- MOCOTE, a registered trademark of Sierra ChemicalCompany, and the pellets release time can extend over many months, eventhough in contact with the moistenedfoam material. The pellets 50 may beintroduced into the pad during the foaming operation, or as shown inFIG. 3, mechanically deposited and pressed into one or both surfaces ofthe pad. In FIG. 4, the pad is formed of two cylindrical adjacentsections 26a and 26b with the pellets 50 depicted therebetween.

Althoughthe device and'system described above is particularly wellsuited for desirable bottom watering, if the plant is overwatered fromabove, excess water can drain out through the hole 20 or 22, through pad26 and into the reservoir. Also, although only a single pot is shown inoperative position on the device, a number of pots may be positionedthereon so long as a bottom hole in each of the pots overlies at leastone upper surface portion of the pad.

Since the water in the reservoir will not be above the upper surface 36of the pad, or in any event will not be above the bottom of the growthmaterial in the pot, no puddling or soaking-can take place. It mightalso be noted that if the wings 40 are eliminated, the cover 30 couldsurround the central pad and ring and float on the water in thereservoir. The cover would then serve the dual function of providinganevaporation barrier and serving as an indicator for the water level inthe reservoir.

I claim:

1. A plant watering and feeding device for automatically transferringmoisture and nutrients to a growth medium contained in a pot having anaperture adjacent the bottom thereof, said device comprising:

a. a water reservoir having a bottom wall and a side wall extendingupwardly from said bottom wall; b. av porous pad disposed in saidreservoir, said pad comprising a central portion, and generally planarupper and lower surfaces respectively disposed on either side of saidcentral portion and parallel to each other, said central portion beingimpregnated with plant nutrients, said upper surface defining agenerally planar exposed pot-supporting platform disposed above thenormal water level in said reservoir, said lower surface being inoperative communication with said water adjacent said bottom wall ofsaid reservoir, said pad being capable of absorbing and retaining aquantity of water in excess of its own dry weight, and further beingform retaining .and dimension stable in both dry and wet conditionswhenvsaid pot is placed upon said platform;

c. an annular reinforcingring surrounding said pad,

the. upper edge of said ring being generally coplanar with said uppersurface of said pad, and the lower portion of said ring being providedwith an apertured bottom plate which is generally coplanar andcoextensive with said bottom surface of said pad, said lower portion ofsaid ring having at least one aperture therein to provide flowcommunication between said reservoir and said pad lower surface, saidpad fitting snugly within said ring such that saidpad and said ring areinsertable and removable from said device as a unit;

d. and means centering said pad and said ring as a unit in saidreservoir, said means disposed both radially and annularly of a verticalcommon central axis of said pad and said ring and bearing none of thevertical weight load of said pad, ring or pot and growth medium; saidpad serving to absorb water from said reservoir so as to effect asubstantially uniform wetting thereof, including its exposed upperplatform, even though only a lower portion thereof is in flowcommunication with said water, by having water from said resevoir entersaid pot by passing initially through said aperture and said pad lowersurface, thence through said pad central portion and said nutrients,and, finally through said pad upper surface into said growth medium.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pad is formed ofexpanded phenolic foam.

3. The device set forth in claim 1 wherein said centering meanscomprises radial wings which engage said side wall of said reservoir.

4. The device set forth in claim 1 further including an annular covermember having a central opening surrounding said ring and an outer edgeextending to said side wall of said reservoir.

5. The device set forth in claim 4 wherein said cover has awater-pouring opening therein.

6. The device set forth in claim 1 whereinsaid nutrients comprise aplurality of controlled-release pellets mechanically deposited andpressed into said pad central portion, said pellets being isolated fromsaid growth medium by said pad upper surface and foam said water in saidreservoir by said pad lower surface, said pellets being further disposedin a path of flow communication of said water from said reservoirbetweenpsaid aperture in said ring and said pad pot-supporting platform.

7. The device set forth in claim 2 further including plugs formed ofexpanded phenolic foam insertable in openings in the bottom of said potto provide contact between said platform and said growth medium.

8. The device set forth in claim 1 further including means extendingfrom adjacent said pad to adjacent said reservoir side wall andfloatable in said water in said reservoir to define an evaporationbarrier and water level indicator.

9. The device set forth in claim 6 wherein said pad central portionfurther comprises adjacent generally planar porous upper and lowercylindrical members disposed respectively on either side of and intangential contact with said nutrient pellets, an upper surface of saidupper cylindrical member defining said upper surface of said pad, and alower surface of said lower cylindrical member defining said lowersurface of said pad, a lower surface of said upper cylindrical memberand an upper surface of said lower cylindrical member being intangentialicontactwith said nutrient pellets and defining a voidthereinbetween wherein are disposed said nutrient pellets.

10. The device set forth in claim 1 wherein said bottom plate sits onand is in contact with said bottom wall of said reservoir.

1. A plant watering and feeding device for automatically transferringmoisture and nutrients to a growth medium contained in a pot having anaperture adjacent the bottom thereof, said device comprising: a. a waterreservoir having a bottom wall and a side wall extending upwardly fromsaid bottom wall; b. a porous pad disposed in said reservoir, said padcomprising a central portion, and generally planar upper and lowersurfaces respectively disposed on either side of said central portionand parallel to each other, said central portion being impregnated withplant nutrients, said upper surface defining a generally planar exposedpot-supporting platform disposed above the normal water level in saidreservoir, said lower surface being in operative communication with saidwater adjacent said bottom wall of said reservoir, said pad beingcapable of absorbing and retaining a quantity of water in excess of itsown dry weight, and further being form retaining and dimension stable inboth dry and wet conditions when said pot is placed upon said platform;c. an annular reinforcing ring surrounding said pad, the upper edge ofsaid ring being generally coplanar with said upper surface of said pad,and the lower portion of said ring being provided with an aperturedbottom plate which is generally coplanar and coextensive with saidbottom surface of said pad, said lower portion of said ring having atleast one aperture therein to provide flow communication between saidreservoir and said pad lower surface, said pad fitting snugly withinsaid ring such that said pad and said ring are insertable and removablefrom said device as a unit; d. and means centering said pad and saidring as a unit in said reservoir, said means disposed both radially andannularly of a vertical common central axis of said pad and said ringand bearing none of the vertical weight load of said pad, ring or potand growth medium; said pad serving to absorb water from said reservoirso as to effect a substantially uniform wetting thereof, including itsexposed upper platform, even though only a lower portion thereof is inflow communication with said water, by having water from said resevoirenter said pot by passing initially through said aperture and said padlower surface, thence through said pad central portion and saidnutrients, and, finally through said pad upper surface into said growthmedium.
 2. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pad is formedof expanded phenolic foam.
 3. The device set forth in claim 1 whereinsaid centering means comprises radial wings which engage said side wallof said Reservoir.
 4. The device set forth in claim 1 further includingan annular cover member having a central opening surrounding said ringand an outer edge extending to said side wall of said reservoir.
 5. Thedevice set forth in claim 4 wherein said cover has a water-pouringopening therein.
 6. The device set forth in claim 1 wherein saidnutrients comprise a plurality of controlled-release pelletsmechanically deposited and pressed into said pad central portion, saidpellets being isolated from said growth medium by said pad upper surfaceand foam said water in said reservoir by said pad lower surface, saidpellets being further disposed in a path of flow communication of saidwater from said reservoir between said aperture in said ring and saidpad pot-supporting platform.
 7. The device set forth in claim 2 furtherincluding plugs formed of expanded phenolic foam insertable in openingsin the bottom of said pot to provide contact between said platform andsaid growth medium.
 8. The device set forth in claim 1 further includingmeans extending from adjacent said pad to adjacent said reservoir sidewall and floatable in said water in said reservoir to define anevaporation barrier and water level indicator.
 9. The device set forthin claim 6 wherein said pad central portion further comprises adjacentgenerally planar porous upper and lower cylindrical members disposedrespectively on either side of and in tangential contact with saidnutrient pellets, an upper surface of said upper cylindrical memberdefining said upper surface of said pad, and a lower surface of saidlower cylindrical member defining said lower surface of said pad, alower surface of said upper cylindrical member and an upper surface ofsaid lower cylindrical member being in tangential contact with saidnutrient pellets and defining a void thereinbetween wherein are disposedsaid nutrient pellets.
 10. The device set forth in claim 1 wherein saidbottom plate sits on and is in contact with said bottom wall of saidreservoir.